Lessons from Taylor Ranch: Students Share Experiences Dec. 11

Wednesday, December 4 2013

MOSCOW, Idaho – The inaugural class of 11 Semester in the Wild students will talk about their experiences living and learning in Idaho’s backcountry on Dec. 11 from 1 - 4 p.m. in the Clearwater Room of the Idaho Commons Building on the University of Idaho campus.

The event is free and open to the public.

Semester in the Wild is sponsored by the College of Natural Resources and features an interdisciplinary educational experience. The program is open to applications from students of any major and any university. Among the first 11 students, six universities are represented.

In anticipation of the presentations, the Semester in the Wild students will pitch tents and spend the night of Dec. 9 on the campus lawn, south of the CNR building. They will be available to answer questions about the program Monday afternoon.

The class spends a semester at Taylor Wilderness Research Station, located in the heart of the Frank Church River-of-No-Return Wilderness. The facility is accessible only by a 36-mile hike or bush plane. Opening and closing sessions for the students are held at the McCall Field Campus, home of the McCall Outdoor Science School.

“Utilizing our amazing resources for hands-on education is something we take great pride in,” said Kurt Pregitzer, dean of the College of Natural Resources. “This experience is one that produces leaders, as well as deepens students’ appreciation for our natural resources.”

The students are engaged in classes such as river ecology, environmental writing, western literature, wilderness management and outdoor leadership. Faculty from the University of Idaho take turns teaching at Taylor Ranch — “America’s Wildest Classroom.”

The student presentations are the culmination of the class. Group presentations will be 20 minutes with time for questions and answers at the end.

Applications for the next Semester in the Wild class are due Feb. 15, 2014 and are available at www.uidaho.edu/cnr/wild/apply. Class size is limited.

About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.